Obituary of Ronnie John Melnechenko

Ronnie John Melnechenko passed away peacefully while surrounded by family, on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the age of 65. Ron will be dearly missed by his devoted wife, Lorri; sons Dillon Wiebe and Josh (Carole) Wiebe; stepdaughters Carmen and Erin Kramer; stepson Damon Kramer (Jenni); grandchildren Arlee Wiebe; Jackson and Carter Wiebe; Olivia Kramer and Oakley Sanguin; and soon-to-arrive grandson, Clarke Kramer. Ron is predeceased by his father John Melnechenko and his mother Anne (née Manovich).

Ron was born on September 17, 1957, in Ituna, Saskatchewan to Anne and John Melnechenko. The family settled in Abernethy, Saskatchewan where they started their family farm. Ron attended elementary school in Abernethy and high school in Balcarres. Throughout these younger years he found his love of sports, especially curling. After the passing of his father, Ron cared for the family farm for the next 20 years. During this time, Ron became a father to two sons, Dillon and Josh. In 1997, Ron married Lorri Robison, whom he had known since high school. They bought a home together in Regina where he commuted back and forth to Abernethy to continue working on the farm. Eventually Ron obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration in 2008 from the University of Regina and officially retired from farming. He was able to enjoy a few years of retirement before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and went into care at Pioneer Village in Regina in 2020.

Ron was a gentle person, and found enjoyment in the simple things. He loved to be outside whether it was taking care of his lawn or garden, or just enjoying a coffee on the deck. He could most often be found tinkering in the garage, working on home renovations, or building booby traps to prank his wife and kids. Ron had a generous spirit, and he often helped friends and family in need with odd jobs or by offering a place in his home. He was an avid curling fan, and joined a few different curling teams over the years. His athleticism came in handy while garage saling around the city, finding all the best deals. He also loved to attend live sporting events and rock concerts and was equally a fan of the Rolling Stones as he was the Roughriders. Ron also looked forward to his yearly fishing trips in Northern Saskatchewan with his buddies and was excited to share stories with his family over a fish fry when he returned home. Above all, he found the most joy in being a grandfather. When he knew the grandchildren would be visiting, he would take several trips around town, making sure he had kites, arts and craft supplies, toys and games to build and play with together. He was famous for the elaborate “treasure hunts” that he would prepare for the kids, and it brought him so much joy to watch as they solved all the clues.

Ron will be missed dearly by his friends and family. Memories of his big smile and infectious giggle will bring us comfort until we meet again. A special thank you to Dr. Oluma, Dr. Durani and the wonderful staff at Pioneer Village for all your love, care and support  We are so grateful for the compassionate care he received from the staff at Pioneer Village, who enjoyed his silly antics and dad jokes as much as we did.

A service for Ron will be held at Speers Family Centre, 2333 Cornwall Street, Regina, SK on Tuesday, June 20th at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of gifts, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, 706 Duchess Street, Saskatoon, SK S7K 0R3.